Our sport now seems like it is becoming the "POLO" of mx riding. The cost of the four strokes and the cost of building even just one for an AMA event are just becoming unruly! Nowadays, the cost of a motor build for a National event will cost nearly as much as a new bike it's self. And then for a top B level rider or above, they need several bikes to be competitive. What does a kid with all the talent in the world and none of the money do these days?

Makes me wonder, if there was another GOAT out there but did not have the money to keep his equipment together when he needed it, would our sport suffer from what could have been or just the kid?

So, how long before our sport is a rich mans sport..... or are we already there?

Don't get me started Joe....to make a very long story short, after attending 7 Pro Nationals I could (and may very well)write an entire book about privateers that have a very good chance at doing very well in a main but due to many factors cannot. Mainly rules being unfair, money, etc etc...you really think you have seen it all as an amatuer and it cannot possibly get any worse and then you attend a national as a privateer and you realize you haven't seen anything, its just amazing. I have to just throw my hands up at this point because there's really truely not much else to do.

"Give the disadvantaged the disadvantage" - Becki Ahl

I have four sons who race.....and believe me this sport is DEFINITELY a rich man's sport. I can barely keep them all running, nevermind have all the stuff done to them to keep them competitive. At the southeast regional, I saw hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bikes and RV's and haulers. No doubt that the little guys dont stand a chance without a WHOLE lot of luck. It is sad, but I guess eventually in every sport, Money buys chamnpionships.

Long live the 2-stroke!!!!


jeff(aka the ware place ace)

It has become a rich mans sport. I remember the days when the pros like Hannah was using one bike and a van to haul it. Man that was a great time.

everyone thinks they have to have four bikes and a 200k hauler to make it. This is so far from the truth. This is a sport where when you put on your helmet your as good as the next person until the checkered flag tells other wise. A stock bike is only at a disadvantage at the start. If your getting pulled then build your motor. James Stewert can take a stock bike and turn almost the same lap time as his full factory bike. Yes everything is getting to expensive but a lot of it you don't need to race motocross.

Motocross is more mental than expensive. You can take kid with one bike that races local races regularly and shows good heart and will ware the kids out with the money. Mental sharpness and being prepared to race is something money will never be able to buy, and that is what wins races.

Its all about one man and one machine!!!

the 4 stroke will be the downfall to the sport IMO. The cost of bikes and the cost of repairs compaired to the 2 stroke is when things started getting out of hand. Look at a pipe alone, $800-1200 for a stinkin pipe?!

Troy, I understand what you are saying but, after going to several of the AMA National qualifiers lately, I have a different opinon now.

I remember way back when I was doing nationals & supercrosses they said they wanted it to be more like NASCAR. They wanted all the TV coverage and etc. Well do you think people watching tv want to see some guy racing out of the back of a pickup truck? They got what they wanted.

Now in regards to the bike I agree with Troy. You can take a good rider and he is gonna be fast no matter what he rides. Back in my glory days I use to be about 2 sec a lap faster on my 125 than I was on my 250. Now how can that be? The 250 has 2x the CC's and it faster and more powerful. It all boils down to CORNERSPEED. I would charge the corners harder and carry more momentum on the 125 than the 250. The 125 took finess to ride it. You had to keep it in the powerband and on the pipe. 250f's are kinda the same way. I know several riders that overrevv the #$%^ out of there bikes. If you are on the rev limiter you are loosing power. Peak HP/Torque is not at the rev limiter on a 250f. Shift a gear and you will be surprised at how much more power you have.

I saw a kid on a 2010 yz250f (not noted to be the fastest 250f) with a bone stock motor & pipe but excellent suspension pass several 450's on the front straight going into the first turn at Birch Creek Ultra race. He also pulled holeshots in the 250 B class on it.

In regards to the cost of building motors. There are alot of good engine builders out there that can give you a good reliable motor for ALOT less than these big name companies. Just to name a few Troy @ BDR racing, Bobby Barr @ Barrs Competition, Robby Neely @ Neely Racing of course myself Chuck @ Privateer Connection and those are just some of the local guys and I am sure there are hundreds more out there. Don't think that just because you paid Pro Circuit to do your motor that Mitch Payton himself is doing it. There are not enough hours in the day for him to do all his TEAM motors and every other joe's motor. You are paying for a name and not necessarily getting what you think you are paying for.

Well said Troy. People get way too taken in looking for excuses. Equipment is the easiest one. When Pastrana was racing, I remember him saying that is lap times only varied a few seconds a lap between his factory Suzuki and his bone stock DRZ. I hate to e the bearer of bad news but the this sport has always been expensive. It was expensive in the 70s and its expensive now. It has just become MORE expensive. Remember, expensive is a relative term.

I agree with Troy, it is the rider not the bike! To many people are caught up in the "MX/SX LIFESTYLE" that they think is cool, ie. big haulers, cool bits on the bike, and bling, bling. Make sure your bike is maintained after every race and twist the throttle. Remember that Carmichael could beat you on a scooter! It's more in your head than it is bling, bling, and cool bits! Heart and determination! And yes I do agree that at the top level of AMA racing the bike does make a difference in the top 5 or 10. But if your not in the top 5 or 10, the bike is not going to make you win races at that level. Even if the winner of the first moto gave you their bike for the second moto. You still wouldn't be able to win just with the bike. Point being that your not going from 20th to 1st just because of the bike.

I remember in 1999 a local kid placing 3rd at LL's 125C (Overall) out of a Ford Ranger with an EZ Up. That was a few years back, but the kid could just plain ride. He never took a class and didn't have a great deal of races under his belt, with the exception of one good full year of Ultra and Mega series races - came in second to Jacob Saylors.
#99 - DM - Honea Path, SC

When I started this post, I was more or less talking about riders at the National level rather then the local level. Locally, I think you could have one good bike and if kept up, do well. Nationally, the B class and A class, respectfully, there is just no way to do well there with out a minumum of twoo bikes at the vary least.

Now what if your the rider of a one parent family running in those classes? You are top 5 in the nation speed wise but dont have any help.... guess we will never know what "Could have been" with the way the sports fees at the National level are climbing.

By the way, what are we getting for the $40 per class we have to send to MX Sports? I really am unsure, but I assume it goes to a good cause, whatever it is.

Back in the day I remember Danny Laporte winning his first race at Indian Dunes MX park in SO.CAL. $25.00!
Back then racers would get signed on at $1,000 a week +sponsorship $, now, $100,000+sponsorship $.
Meanwhile us kids were making mini bikes at home, or on a 80,125,500, struggling to get cash for a clutch cable.
Ten years later I bought a KX 500 in 1987 brand new for $3,000, I was working and riding and keeping it a hobby. That's the only way we could afford it. Back before then we thought we were all going pro and that's what drained us. It wasn't until we were doing weekend MX camping trips once in awhile, that we realized this is cheaper and fun to ride as a hobby(so long as the rider was a decent mechanic).

Who want's to sit with me and write a book/make a documentary?
I'll put my 1970's-80's So. Cal. experience in it. Starting with BMX on a Schwinn, to Barstow to Vegas runs on a KX500, Photos,8mm film, and many So. Cal. contacts. Let's do it Norm!!!
I agree 100% with your post on this topic dude.